Demon Within Read online

  Demon Within

  Book of Shadows 2 - Vance’s Story

  Lacey Weatherford

  Demon Within

  Book of Shadows Series

  Book Two

  Copyright 2019 Lacey Weatherford /Moonstruck Media

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Edited by Weathergirls Editing & Proofreading

  Smashwords Edition

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient, or use legal loaning practices. If you're reading this book and did not buy it, or it was not obtained for your private use, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is available in print and ebook at most online retailers.

  Created with Vellum

  Author’s Note:

  Book of Shadows is a companion series to the #1 Bestselling Paranormal series, Of Witches and Warlocks series. It's the same storyline of events but told from the main character perspective, and reader favorite character nominee, Vance Mangum. While this follows the same line of events in the previous series, there will also be unique new chapters, scenes, situations, and dialogue, that the reader hasn't seen in Of Witches and Warlocks, making both series a distinctive and exciting look into this magical world. You can continue the Of Witches and Warlocks and Book of Shadows storyline in the sequel series, Of Witches and Demons, book one, Craft. Both Of Witches and Warlocks and Book of Shadows can stand completely on their own. You do not have to be familiar with one to read the other.

  To the true “Vance Fans” who just can't get enough. THANK YOU!

  Contents

  Author’s Note:

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  ###

  About the Author

  Books by Lacey Weatherford

  Prologue

  Gunning the engine, I throttled my motorcycle faster, trying to outrace the bloodlust churning inside me. Thirst made me reckless, but at the moment I didn't care since it was taking me from the only girl I'd ever loved.

  Portia. Even thinking her name left me aching with loss, both physically and emotionally. It was for her I was doing all this. I wasn't afraid to die, as long as I could complete this one last task. Then it could all be over. I simply had to know Portia and the rest of the world, were safe from the monster I'd become, and the beast who'd created me.

  The motor roared hotly, threatened to the limit, yet I still added a burst of my own magic to increase the speed, not caring if the frame could handle it. I was angry, and hell-bent on the destruction of said beast—my father, to be exact. He was responsible for the current perdition I found myself living in. I didn't know where I'd find him, or how I'd do it, but when I got my hands on Damien Cummings, I was going to kill him in the most painful way possible. He would never terrorize me, or anyone else, ever again.

  Religiously, I wasn't sure on my view of the afterlife, but I hoped there was an Underworld that tormented souls, or a demonic hell. All I knew was I wanted him to suffer for eternity, even if it meant I had to join him to see it happen.

  Wheels eating up the asphalt beneath me, I finally saw the lights of the next town. I'd hoped to travel farther, but I could tell I was getting sicker and needed to find lodging. Madness stirred my insides, my hunger rising. I needed to get off this road and find a place to settle in. Speeding along even faster, I dangerously wove in and out of the traffic on I-40, not caring one whit about all the loud honking when I narrowly missed other vehicles, passing them on the wrong side near the shoulder of the road. I didn't slow until I saw the first sign signaling lodging was available at the next exit in Gallup, New Mexico. I didn't care if it was seedy and rat infested, or a five-star hotel. I just needed a room.

  Now.

  This was worse than death. It had to be.

  I was being devoured from the inside out by fire I couldn't contain. Thankfully, the torture came and went, but the cravings were driving me insane, burning through my body like molten lava consuming everything in its path. It was stronger than anything I'd ever felt, and I literally could do nothing about it. The demon within me demanded to be fed. Immediately. But I had nothing to give it, nor did I want to.

  Tremors shot through me uncontrollably. I struggled, pulling myself up from where I'd just been vomiting to glance into the mirror of the bathroom sink. Red streaks flashed through my irises as I stared in horrified amazement.

  Closing my treacherous looking eyes, I allowed myself to remember the way it felt to sink my teeth into Portia's soft flesh, biting through until her warm blood sprayed into my mouth. It was both salty and sweet, laced with incredible power. Her magic infused me, making every part of me feel even more alive, pulsating with energy impossible to describe. I was suddenly more superhuman than I'd already been. She had no idea the strength her power carried, but I did. Thinking about her made my teeth feel like they were lengthening in anticipation, but they never appeared. Even so, the edges felt sharper, and I ran my tongue against them, surprised when they actually drew blood. But it wasn't my blood that would satisfy me. I wanted Portia's.

  I wanted to do more than taste her. I wanted to be on her, in her, drinking her, all at the same time, hearing her both scream and moan while I claimed her in every possible way. Lust was an equal match for the blood cravings, beat for beat, creating a whole new kind of agony for me, and my body no longer felt like my own. It was as if I'd become some kind of sick, rapist, serial killer.

  I was possessed. What kind of disgusting, depraved creature had I become?

  Portia's magic might have stopped my demon conversion from completing, but the monster still lurked inside me, waiting to be released into full power. I needed to prevent it, control it, somehow. I refused to succumb to the desires churning within. Love didn't destroy, and I loved her! I loved her more than giving in to the pain of this terrible affliction. I loved her more than my own life. Still, my thoughts only made my passions for her flare stronger.

  Groaning, I staggered into the shower, turning the cold water on full blast. I dropped to the bottom, seeking relief as I pressed my naked body against the cool tile, wishing something would take this plague away before I drowned in it—or worse, hurt someone.

  As long as I felt like this, there was no way I could see Portia. She was too precious for me to risk turning or killing her, like some kind of horrific vampire. I feared if she heard the thoughts tumbling in my head, she'd never come near me again. I'd rather die than hurt her, even though I knew I was wounding her right now with my absence.

  Man, I'd screwed up royally, but there was no changing my past mistakes. I'd made my bed, and now it was time to lie in it. I couldn't risk causing her additional harm.

  I was afraid. I needed help but didn't know where to find it. Hopelessness and despair overwhelmed me, leaving me lost with nowhere to turn.

  How did on
e conquer something evil when it actually lived and breathed inside them?

  1

  Voice Entry:

  Hey, Portia,

  I don't even know why I'm doing this, other than the fact I miss you so badly. It's weird to not be able to hear your thoughts or feel you nearby. I purchased this phone since my old one got lost when I was taken. You don't have the number, but it's best this way. If you begged me to come back, I don't think I could resist, and it's just too dangerous for us to be together right now. I really wish I could call and make sure you're doing okay.

  I want you to know that I love you so much. Even though you'll be angry when you wake up, please know everything I'm doing is to try and protect you. I'll do my best to keep things recorded on this if I'm able. If something happens to me, hopefully, it will find its way back into your hands.

  My condition is eating me alive. I feel like I'm going crazy half the time. The most acute agony is the one in my heart, though. I can't stop thinking of you or wishing I was by your side.

  I miss you, and not just because of the physical ache that separates us, or even the bloodlust that comes and goes. My thoughts quietly accuse me, saying, “You left her behind,” but I had to go. I almost destroyed you. If it hadn't been for me, this evil would've never touched your life. I need to fix this if we have any hope of a future together. When it's all over—if I succeed—I hope you'll be able to forgive me and take me back.

  It's that hope which continues to drive my actions now. Still, I have no way of knowing if there is any help for my condition. I may be on a quest that has been doomed for failure from the beginning, but I have to try and stop this madness—and him.

  I'm shopping for some magical supplies today, attempting some kind of spell to reduce the pain I'm in. There has to be a way to bind or banish this power inside me. I swear I'll fight this until my last breath, but regardless of what happens to me, please know, you will always own my heart.

  No matter how hard I tried to focus, my thoughts repeatedly drifted to Portia. Was she okay? Had she finally awakened from my horrific assault on her? Was she angry with me? I missed not being able to feel her close by, the ever-present ache inside me a constant reminder of the distance between us.

  “Focus, dammit,” I growled under my breath, irritated that I couldn't seem to keep my mind on the task at hand. Just getting to Albuquerque today had been a significant feat in itself. I thought I was going to pass out on the road before I got to the next hotel. Upon arrival, I tried sleeping without much luck, before finally settling on the idea to turn to magic for help. I looked up metaphysical stores on my new phone, finding the closest one and called to make sure it was open. Now that I was here, I needed to get in and out before anyone noticed something strange going on with me. Maybe if I were lucky, I'd get some food too. I had to find a way to keep my strength up even though eating wasn't really appealing at the moment.

  Glancing at the items on the shelf, I grabbed some white sage and two small crystals, one of selenite and the other clear quartz. Depositing these in the handheld shopping basket, I quickly snatched a bag of thin, colored candles, some cord, and a small satchel, along with a large bag of sea salt, and headed to the register. It didn't seem like much, but maybe I'd be able to work some sort of spell. I swallowed hard as I approached the counter, immediately able to tell the cashier was a full-blooded witch. The smell of her was intoxicating. I held my breath as much as possible, attempting to keep from making eye contact with her, or she'd plainly see my red eyes. Remembering my sunglasses in the pocket of my leather jacket, I grabbed them and slipped them on, before paying her and rushing from the store.

  Adrenaline thrumming, my pulse pounded erratically as I considered how easy it would be to come back later and attack. If I could control myself, I could drink from her without killing her, but I'd need to figure out a way to keep her from sounding an alarm to others. Irritated, I pushed the wicked thoughts away, not willing to make the list of my dirty deeds grow any longer than it already had.

  Arriving back at the hotel, I emptied the contents in the middle of the bed and grabbed my phone, opening it to the notes app. I sat down at the desk and started tapping the keys, constructing both the words of my incantation, along with a list of the specific attributes I wanted to bind and banish. I wasn't stupid enough to believe that I'd come up with some sort of miracle cure, since stopping a demon conversion was reportedly impossible. Portia had managed to do something for me that no one thought probable, though, and she did it based solely on instinct. Perhaps I'd get fortunate enough to stumble upon some magic that would make things better.

  As luck would have it, there was also a full moon tonight, the perfect time for banishing things, and I planned to add that power to this ritual. At the very least, I'd be setting my intentions to the Universe, and that would draw more good magic to my cause.

  Three hours later, I finally felt like I had something worth working. It didn't help that I had to stop several times as waves of bloodlust rolled through me. I was unwilling to write the spell when those happened, worried I would taint it somehow as the evil inside me attempted to take control—not to mention the tremors made it difficult to write or concentrate.

  It was near midnight, the moon glowing high in the sky, when I pushed the curtains open, letting the white light flood into my room. I'd been lucky enough to have a north facing view, so I situated the table in the center of the pane to be an altar.

  Using my powers, I scattered salt for protection, making sure to include my bed in the circle as well. Lighting the four colored candles in the corners, I called the elements. Taking my athame, I inscribed my name in the black wax candle and lit it, placing it in the middle of my makeshift altar, next to the negativity cleansing selenite and clear quartz crystals. I then ignited the white sage, and walked around the circle with it three times, chanting.

  “Dark as night,

  Bright moonlight,

  Black and white,

  Clear the evil from this site.”

  Once I was finished, I released the sage but kept it floating in the air, drawing it entirely around my body, from head to toe and back again.

  “As Heaven above,

  As Earth below,

  As the Soul within,

  As the Body without.”

  Grabbing the length of cord, I held it up toward the moon, draped over my palms.

  “God and Goddess,

  Hear my plea,

  Give my soul

  Back to me.

  Bless my heart,

  To stay strong and true.

  Let no evil,

  To me undo.”

  Lowering the cord, I began wrapping it tightly around the black candle.

  “I bind the evil inside me.

  I bind the thirst.

  I bind the pain.

  I bind the desire to harm.

  I bind the need to feed.

  I banish these! I banish these! I banish these!

  In their place, Lord and Lady above,

  Grant me the capacity to conquer with love.

  Help my mind stay true and clear.

  Allow me to forever lose these fears.

  Into the light, I wish to be,

  Please grant my wish,

  Unburden me.

  So Mote It Be.”

  Letting the candle burn down, I watched as the wax melted, becoming ever intertwined in the cord. I took the remnants and placed them in the small satchel I'd purchased, along with the crystals, and sage, intending to bury them in the morning when I awoke. Tonight, however, I would sleep inside the cast circle, giving the magic plenty of time to absorb.

  I placed the satchel under my pillow and didn't even bother to remove my clothing, instead falling into bed exhausted. Hopefully, this spell would do something. I didn't have any adverse reactions at the moment—a good sign—but I wouldn't know for sure if anything had changed until more time passed. Taking advantage of the brief respite from my agony, I closed my eyes a
nd let sleep claim me.

  2

  Opening my eyes, the first thing that caught my attention was the daylight streaming through the window. Raising my head, I glanced at the time, and a rush of excitement flowed through me when I realized I'd slept for six hours straight. The spell must be working!

  Smiling, I resisted the urge to give a whelp of victory as I sat up, running a hand through my messy hair.

  Bam! It was if I'd suddenly hit a brick wall as the intense craving for blood screamed through my body. One second, I was sitting up, the next I was writhing on the floor.

  “God help me!” I prayed through gritted teeth as I curled in a ball, my muscles spasming. It was even worse than before. What the hell had I done?

  Rolling to my hands and knees, I crawled into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Gingerly, I removed my clothes and got in. I was getting awfully sick of taking cold showers, but it was the only thing I could think of as I tried to cool the heat burning inside me. Fire was my natural magic, but the bloodlust was something wholly different. It was like setting an acid fire to my insides. It felt corrosive like it was eating away my blood vessels and melting everything in its path. As usual, images of Portia flashed in my head, memories of drinking her blood and how it calmed the fire raging in me, filling me with power. I wanted to feel that way again, healthy, whole, mighty, not like the weak being I was now, shaking and shivering in the bathroom.